"The Maynard H. Jackson Jr. International Terminal is America's new global gateway," Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed said in a statement. "This magnificent facility is an economic catalyst for the city of Atlanta, the state of Georgia and the entire southeastern United States, and it will help create jobs and new business opportunities for years to come."

The first departure from the new terminal was Delta Flight 295 to Tokyo. The first arrival was Delta Flight 177 from Dublin. Water cannons were on hand to celebrate these two "firsts" for the international terminal.

Learn more about the $1.4 billion state-of-the-art terminal by checking out 11Alive's coverage: